U.S. patent application number 16/363213 was filed with the patent office on 2019-07-18 for optic cover with releasably retained display.
The applicant listed for this patent is Sheltered Wings, Inc. d/b/a Vortex Optics, Sheltered Wings, Inc. d/b/a Vortex Optics. Invention is credited to David M. Hamilton.
Application Number | 20190219362 16/363213 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54209484 |
Filed Date | 2019-07-18 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190219362 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hamilton; David M. |
July 18, 2019 |
Optic Cover with Releasably Retained Display
Abstract
A cover for use with an optic device to hold and display
shooting information. The cover may have resilient retention
members that allow a display to be releasably attached and detached
from the cover. The display may be made from a single substrate or
multiple substrates in order to make the shooting information
contained thereon highly visible in a variety of conditions and
shooting preferences. The cover may include a flexible body for
securing the cover to optic devices of a variety of sizes.
Inventors: |
Hamilton; David M.;
(Barneveld, WI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sheltered Wings, Inc. d/b/a Vortex Optics |
Barneveld |
WI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
54209484 |
Appl. No.: |
16/363213 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14742310 |
Jun 17, 2015 |
10240897 |
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16363213 |
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14196251 |
Mar 4, 2014 |
9683812 |
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14742310 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41G 1/383 20130101;
G02B 23/16 20130101; F41G 1/065 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F41G 1/06 20060101
F41G001/06; F41G 1/38 20060101 F41G001/38; G02B 23/16 20060101
G02B023/16 |
Claims
1. A cover for an optical device comprising: a cap; a flexible
body; and a means for releasably and securely holding a display
such that the display can be selectively removed from the means for
releasably and securely holding a display; wherein the means for
releasably and securely holding a display is permanently attached
to the cap.
2. The cover for all optical device of claim 1, wherein the means
for releasably and securely holding a display is integrally formed
with the cap.
3. The cover for an optical device of claim 1, wherein the cap has
an interior portion and the means for releasably and securely
holding a display is permanently attached to the interior portion
of the cap.
4. The cover for an optical device of claim 1, wherein the means
for releasably and securely holding a display is at least two
resilient tabs.
5. The cover for an optical device of claim 1, wherein the means
for releasably and securely holding a display is at least one
resilient post.
6. The cover for an optical device of claim 1, wherein the means
for releasably and securely holding a display is at least one
magnet.
7. The cover for all optical device of claim 1, wherein the means
for releasably and securely holding a display is an annular ridge
formed in the cap.
8. The cover for an optical device of claim 1, wherein the display
has at least one indent formed therein such that the display may be
selectively removed from the means for releasably and securely
holding a display by the at least one indent.
9. A cover for an optical device comprising: a flexible body
capable of attaching the cover to the optical device; a cap
connected to the body such that the cap can be opened or closed,
the cap having an interior portion; a display with a perimeter; and
at least one resilient retention member attached to the interior
portion of the cap for retaining the display, the at least one
resilient retention member capable of temporarily deforming to
receive and release the display; wherein the display has at least
one indent formed in the perimeter such that the display may be
released from the at least one resilient retention member at least
through the use of the at least one indent.
10. The cover for an optical device of claim 9, wherein the display
has at least two sides and data of personal equipment is visible by
at least one side of the at least two sides.
11. The cover for an optical device of claim 9, wherein the at
least one resilient retention member is a tab.
12. The cover for an optical device of claim 9, wherein the at
Least one resilient retention member is a post.
13. The cover for an optical device of claim 9, wherein the at
least one resilient retention member is an annular ring.
14. The cover for an optical device of claim 9, wherein the display
is formed by coupling a top layer to a bottom layer and wherein the
top layer is a different color than the bottom layer.
15. The cover for an optical device of claim 9, wherein the display
is formed by coupling a top layer and a bottom layer to a middle
layer and wherein the top layer and bottom layer are a different
color than the middle layer.
16. A cover for an optic device comprising: a flexible body for
securing the cover to an optic device; a ring connected to the
flexible body; a cap complementary to the ring, the cap operably
connected to the ring.
17. The cover of claim 16 wherein the cap has an interior portion
that is capable of releasably and securely holding a display.
18. The cover of claim 17 wherein the display includes DOPE
data.
19. A display for an optical device cover comprising: a substrate
generally having the shape of a substantially flat disc and having
a surface; DOPE data included on the surface; and an indent in the
substrate; wherein the display can be releasably inserted into an
optical device cover and be removed using the indent.
20. The display of claim 19 wherein the substrate further comprises
one or more layers.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation patent application of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/742,310 filed Jun. 17, 2015,
which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
14/196,251 filed Mar. 4, 2014 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,683,812
which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
FIELD
[0002] The disclosure relates generally to the field of optic
sighting devices. More particularly, the disclosure relates to
devices and methods for conveniently retaining sighting and other
information.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Avid shooters, e.g. a hunter, competition shooter, military,
law enforcement officer, etc., rely on many different pieces of
information in order to make accurate and precise shots. Some
information is based upon environmental factors such as distance,
minute of angle, elevation hold value, wind hold value, pressure,
temperature or elevation. Some information is based upon the
equipment being used, for example scope height, muzzle velocity,
and/or the ballistic being used, for example bullet class, bullet
speed, bullet's ballistic coefficient and bullet drag model, or a
combination of these parameters, such as observed bullet drop. This
information is commonly referred to in the shooting industry as
data on personal equipment, data on previous engagements, or
DOPE.
[0004] Due to the amount of different DOPE factors that can affect
the precision and accuracy of a shot and the variability of the
same, keeping track of such DOPE can be challenging for shooters.
Some shooters use dope log books to enter the information
themselves. Other shooters may use a number of pre-calculated DOPE
charts from which a shooter can look up the information needed.
Having such information readily available when a shooter is making
a shot can also be challenging. In some situations, such as
hunting, flipping through pages of a log or book can cause the
target to become suspicious and flee. Therefore a need exists for
holding such information in a readily accessible location.
[0005] To attempt to solve this problem, some shooters have begun
cutting portions of their logs or books into a circular or disc
shape and taping or gluing them to the inside of their optic
covers. Many shooters use an optical device such as, but not
limited to a scope, when shooting. In order to protect the lenses
of the optical device from scratches, shooters will use covers.
Some covers, called flip cap or flip open covers, fit on the end(s)
of the optical device and have a cap that can be closed when the
optical device is not in use or opened when the shooter intends on
using the optical device. When the flip cap is open, the eyepiece
of the optical device is available for use by the shooter with the
cover's cap off to the side or above the optical device. Since the
inside of the cover's cap is available for use and faces the
shooter when the cover is open, the inside of the cap is a
convenient place to hold a shooter's DOPE.
[0006] One company called Scope Dope states that it offers "a quick
reference ballistic data disc designed to fit inside the cover of a
`flip-open` riflescope cap . . . made from heavy die cut vinyl."
Scope Dope also states that a shooter can then "pre-record critical
data using the waterproof permanent pen onto the data disc." The
discs offered by Scope Dope can be attached to a cap by using glue
or tape.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] As mentioned above, prior attempts to create DOPE displays
that can be attached to the inside of a cover cap have not been
frilly optimized. Although such DOPE discs allow a shooter to write
some information he or she desires onto the disc, such information
is limited to the preprinted spaces for specific information.
Further, although such a disc can fit many different models of flip
cap covers, the disc has to be secured to the cover such as by tape
or glue. If a shooter glues the disc to the cover, the disc, and
the information on the disc, cannot be changed for changing
environmental factors or if a different gun or bullet is used. If a
shooter tapes the disc to the cover, the disc may be changed, but
the tape will lose its tack from the frequent switching of discs
and environmental factors such as moisture or dirt. This can result
in the disc falling out of the cover cap and/or requiring the
shooter to install a new piece of tape in the cover cap at
inconvenient times such as during hunting. Furthermore, the removal
of a disc from a cap cover held by tape during some activities,
such as hunting, can cause the target to become suspicious and
flee.
[0008] The applicant has discovered that a need exists for the
secure retention of DOPE information at a convenient location, such
as the inside of a flip cap cover, and, at the same time, permit
such information to be removed and replaced.
[0009] In one embodiment, the invention provides a cover for an
optical device. The optical device includes a cap and a means for
releasably and securely holding a display such that the display can
be selectively removed from the means for releasably and securely
holding a display. The means for releasably and securely holding a
display is permanently attached to the cap.
[0010] In another embodiment, the invention provides a cover for an
optical device. The optical device includes a body capable of
attaching the cover to the optical device. A cap is connected to
the body such that the cap can be opened or closed, the cap having
an interior portion. The optical device also includes a display
with a perimeter and at least one resilient retention member
attached to the interior portion of the cap for retaining the
display, capable of temporarily deforming to receive and release
the display. The display having at least one indent formed in its
perimeter such that the display may be released from the at least
one resilient retention member at least through use of the at least
one indent.
[0011] In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a display
for shooting firearms with a sighting device having a cover. The
cover includes a first substrate having a first color and a second
substrate having a second color different than the first color and
fixed to the first substrate to form a display. The first substrate
is engraved such that the second substrate is exposed through the
engraved first substrate and conveys shooting information. The
display is shaped such that it may be firmly retained by the cover
and has a perimeter formed such that the perimeter may be used to
remove the display from the cover.
[0012] Another embodiment of the invention provides a cover for an
optic device having a flexible body for securing the cover to an
optic device, a ring connected to the flexible body, a cap
complementary to the ring, the cap operably connected to the ring.
The cover may also include a cap having an interior portion that is
capable of releasably and securely holding a display and a display
including DOPE data.
[0013] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one
or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives,
while one or more other aspects can lead to certain other
objectives. Other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the
present invention will be apparent in this summary and descriptions
of the disclosed embodiment, and will be readily apparent to those
skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages
will be apparent from the above as taken in conjunction with the
accompanying figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn
therefrom.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing the attachment of an
optic cover to a sighting device.
[0015] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a dosed optic cover attached
to one end of a sighting device and an open optic cover attached to
another end of the sighting device.
[0016] FIG. 3 an isometric view of an optic cover with the cap open
and retaining a display.
[0017] FIG. 4 is an enlarged isometric view of a closed optic
cover.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of the optic cover of FIG. 4
along the line 5-5.
[0019] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an optic cover with the cap
open and the display removed.
[0020] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of
an optic cover with the cap open and the display removed.
[0021] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of another alternative
embodiment of an optic cover with the cap open and the display
removed.
[0022] FIG. 9 is an isometric view of another alternative
embodiment of an optic cover with the cap open and the display
removed.
[0023] FIG. 10 is an isometric view of a display.
[0024] FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a cross section of the
display of FIG. 10 taken along the line 11-11.
[0025] FIG. 12 is an enlarged isometric view of another alternative
embodiment of an optic cover with the cap open.
[0026] FIG. 13 is an isometric view of the optic cover of FIG. 12
showing the cap open and the display removed.
[0027] FIG. 14 is an isometric view of the optic cover of FIG. 12
showing the cap open and a display showing certain DOPE data in a
reticle style display.
[0028] FIG. 15 is an isometric view of the optic cover of FIG. 12
showing the cap open and a different display showing similar DOPE
data in a chart format.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] A cover for an optic device in accordance with the present
invention helps shooters conveniently and securely releasably
retain shooting information on a cap of the optic cover. A display
in accordance with the present invention can be securely attached
to and detached from the cap of an optic cover to readily display
shooting information.
[0030] Referring now to FIG. 1, one aspect of the present invention
provides a flip cap style cover 10 for an optic device 11 such as a
scope or other sighting device. As seen in FIG. 2, a cover 10 can
be used on each end of the optic device 11. The cover 10 includes a
cap 12 attached to the cover, such as, for example, by a hinge 13
such that the cover can be opened and closed as seen in FIGS. 2 and
3. Other constructions for attaching a cap 12 to a cover 10 are
known in the industry, the use of which would not defeat the spirit
of the invention. The cover 10 can also include a body 14 for
attaching the cover to an optic device 11.
[0031] Another embodiment of the invention is a. cap 12 as will be
described, for attaching to an existing cover body 14 so as to
retrofit the cap 12 or cover 10 to any aftermarket optic cover or
optic device available.
[0032] The cap 12 has an interior portion 16, seen in FIG. 3, and
an exterior portion 18, seen in FIG. 4. When the cap 12 is in the
closed configuration, such as, when the optic device 11 is not
being used, the exterior portion 18 of the cap 12 is exposed to the
environment and the interior portion 16 of the cap faces the optic
device 11 as seen in FIG. 5.
[0033] When the cap 12 is in the open configuration as seen in FIG.
3, such as, when a shooter desires to use the optic device 11, the
interior portion 16 of the cap 12 faces the shooter. When using two
covers 10, such as shown in FIG. 2, the exterior portion 18 of the
cap 12 of the second cover will also face the shooter when open. If
the cap of each cover is set up to open in a different direction,
both the interior portion 16 of the first cap and the exterior
portion 18 of the second cap will be visible to the shooter.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 3, the interior portion 16 of the cap 12 is
capable of holding a display 20 which can show information such as
DOPE. In one embodiment, the display 20 is round in shape and held
by the interior portion 16 of the cap 12 by tabs 22 permanently
attached thereto, such as by integrally forming the cap and tabs,
which resiliently hold the display 20 in place. (See FIG. 6). For
example, the tabs 22 can be made of a resilient plastic that will
temporarily deform when sufficient force is applied. To further
encourage deformation upon application of pressure, the tops of the
tabs 22 could also be angled. Thus, when the display 20 is pushed
on the tabs 22, such as by a shooter, the tabs deform to receive
the display and allow the display to slide past the deformed tabs
and to be seated. Once the display 20 is seated, the tabs 22 retake
their original shape and thereby securely hold and firmly retain
the display 20 in place. This embodiment provides a balance between
ease of removal of the display 20 and securement of display while
shooting.
[0035] Although the embodiment described above discloses that the
interior portion 16 of the cap 12 releasably retains a display 20,
the exterior portion 18 of the cap or both the interior portion and
the exterior portion could be capable of retaining displays. For
example, when a cover 10 is used on each end of an optic device 11,
it may be desirable to have the cap 12 from the first cover
releasably retain a display 20 on the interior portion 16 and the
cap 12 from the second cover releasably retain a display 20 on the
exterior portion 18 such that two displays are visible to the
shooter when using the optic device.
[0036] In another embodiment, the display 20 is held by a resilient
annular ridge, ring or flange of the cap 12. As seen in FIG. 7, the
annular flange 23 extends along the perimeter of the interior
portion 16 of the cap 12. Although the annular flange 23 is shown
as a continuous flange, the flange could also be intermittent along
the interior portion 16. Similar to the tabs 22 above, the annual
flange 23 can be made of a resilient material such that the annular
flange will deform when the display 20 is being seated and
thereafter retake its original shape to hold the display in
place.
[0037] In another embodiment, the display is held by at least one
post 24 of the cap 12. The one or more post(s) 24 could be made
from a resilient material and located at the center of the interior
portion 16 of the cap 12 as seen in FIG. 8, or located around the
circumference of the interior portion 16 of the cap 12 similar to
the tabs 22. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the post 24 is
slotted and has a top portion with a diameter bigger than the
corresponding hole 26 in the display 20. When the display 20 is
placed onto the post 24, such that the hole 26 is above the post,
and downward pressure is applied, the slot allows the top portion
of the post to compress and thereby fit through the hole. After the
display 20 is past the top portion, the top portion of the post 24
returns to its original size to thereby hold the display in place.
When the display 20 is removed, the upward force applied to the
post 24 by the display, causes the top portion of the post to
compress to fit back through the hole 26 such that the display is
removed.
[0038] In yet another embodiment, the display is held by a magnet
28, or magnets, permanently attached to the cap 12 as seen in FIG.
9. The display 20 could be made from a. material that is attracted
to the magnet(s) 28 or have such a material attached to it.
[0039] The retention configurations described above allow the
display 20 to be rotated up to 360 degrees while being held by the
cap 12. Although such rotation is not necessary, it allows the
information shown on the display 20 to be right side up and
readable regardless of the shooter's preferred orientation for the
cap 12, for example, above the optic device 11 or to the side such
as shown in FIG. 3. The resilient retention member configurations
described above are also economical to manufacture.
[0040] The display 20 includes a means for removing the display
from the cap 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the display 20
has a number of indents 30 formed in the perimeter of the display.
The indents 30 are sized and positioned in the display 20 such that
the indents allow the shooter to selectively remove the display
from the tabs 22 of the cap 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6,
the indents 30 allow the display 20 to be removed by use of a
fingernail or the bullet, such as the tip or rim of the casing.
Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 allows the display 20 to be
removed without the use of tools, configurations requiring the use
of a tool to release and remove the display 20 from the cap 12
would not defeat the spirit of the invention.
[0041] The display 20 should be made of a material that is
resistant to environmental conditions such as water, ultraviolet
light, heat, cold, etc., as may be experienced while shooting. For
example, the display 20 when exposed to moisture, ultraviolet light
and/or temperatures in the range from about -20.degree. F. to
120.degree. F. does not substantially deform in its shape or
substantially change color so as to affect the performance of the
display. The display 20 can also have information permanently
affixed thereto or therein as seen in FIG. 10 or have permanent
spaces for a shooter to fill in such information or DOPE.
[0042] In one embodiment, the display 20 can be made or formed from
layers of plastic coupled or fixed together. As seen in FIG. 11,
the display 20 is made from coupling or fixing a top substrate 32
to one side of a middle substrate 34 and coupling or fixing a
bottom substrate 36 to another side of the middle substrate. The
top and bottom substrates 32, 36 can be thinner than the middle
substrate 34 and of a color different than the middle substrate.
The top and bottom layers or substrates 32, 36 can be laser
engraved so as to remove portions of the top and bottom layers
thereby exposing the middle layer or substrate 34 of a different
color. Such engravings can also be used to cut the display 20 to
the desired size and shape from a larger sheet or sheets of
material. Using three layers allows both sides of the display 20 to
contain information such as DOPE.
[0043] One example of such a display 20 entails using bright yellow
outer layers and a black middle layer. The contrast of the yellow
and black allows the information, such as shooting information, to
be easily conveyed or seen at night as would the use of
photo-chromatic material. Other applications or user preferences
could suggest different color combinations.
[0044] Other numbers of layers can also be used without departing
from the spirit of the invention, For example, a two layered
display could be made with just the top layer 32 and the middle
layer 34, in which case the middle layer 34 would also be the
bottom layer. Further, the display 20 could be made from one
substrate such as, for example, if the display is made from a
material that is attracted to the magnet 28 as seen in FIG. 9.
Another example of a single material substrate would be a plastic
material that is all one color until used in a laser engraving
process; the laser engraver causes the material to change colors
such that the engraving is then a different or second color after
the engraving process.
[0045] Other methods of adding information such as DOPE to a
display include, but are not limited to printing on the display,
attaching stickers to the display with information printed on the
stickers or allowing such information to be written on the stickers
by a shooter or allowing a shooter to write directly on the
substrate. The use of such methods would not defeat the spirit of
the invention.
[0046] It is anticipated that a shooter could be carrying multiple
displays 20 with different types of information during an activity,
for example long range target practice. The shooter could quickly
and easily change to a display 20 with the appropriate information
for the firearm, bullet and/or environmental conditions being faced
at that time.
[0047] An additional embodiment of the invention provides another
method for sizing and attaching a cover 10 to an optic device 11,
as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. In this embodiment, the cover 10
includes cap 12, flexible body 40 and ring 41. Cap 12 is sized to
complement ring 41, which is operably connected to cap 12 using a
suitable means, such as a hinge 13. A display 20 may optionally be
fitted within or partially within cap 12; display 20 may be fixed
or permanent, or it may be customizable or interchangeable with
other displays. It is also possible to use the cover 10 as
described herein with no display or with a display that is integral
with the cap 12. Flexible body 40 could be any suitable flexible
material including, for example, rubber, silicone, or neoprene.
Flexible body 40 is functionally attached to a ring 41 and has a
first end 42 and a second end 43. In the embodiment drawn in FIGS.
12 and 13, flexible body 40 is molded. over ring 41 but other
attachment methods could be used as well including adhesives or
mechanical fasteners. Also as shown in FIG. 12, the first end 42 of
flexible body 40 is wider than the second end 43, and the rubber
material it is made from has elastic properties that cause the
cover 10 to be securely fitted to optic device 11. As shown in FIG.
13, the display 20 includes one recess 45 that allows the user to
selectively remove the display from the cap 12, for example by
using the tip of a jackknife, pen or other tool. Exemplary displays
20 are shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.
[0048] The flexible body 40 of this embodiment provides several
advantages, The stretchiness or elastic properties of the material
used can provide for well-fitting covers for a variety of sizes of
optics devices. This design also allows for a single cover to fit
multiple optic devices because the covers do not need to be
precisely sized to the dimensions of the optic device itself. This
in turn will allow the cover to fit more sizes of scopes, less
choices for consumers, and less SKUs for dealers to carry. The
greater flexibility provided may enhance the likelihood that
consumers buy the covers 10 for use themselves or as gifts for
others. Covers having this design may potentially use less retail
space, as retailers may not need to carry a wide variety of sizes.
Also, requiring less specificity with the body sizing will likely
lead to lower tooling costs and easier manufacturing of the
covers.
[0049] Although the invention has been herein described in what is
perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is
to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited
to the specific embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is
recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the
art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of
the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as
including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the
appended claims and the description of the invention herein.
* * * * *